Resource recovery from wastewater through advanced biorecycling technologies

1. Resource recovery from wastewater through advanced biorecycling technologies Society of Environmental Journalists 22nd Annual Meeting Oct. 17-22, 2012 Lubbock, TX Daniel Yeh, PhD, PE, LEED AP Associate Professor Ana Lucia Prieto, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher, Colorado School of Mines Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

2. Acknowledgement • Craig Criddle (Stanford University) • A constant source of knowledge and inspiration from whom I have learned much about wastewater treatment and sustainable water reuse via anaerobic processes • Ana Lucia Prieto, PhD • Postdoctoral Researcher, Colorado School of Mines • Other Contributors: • Robert Bair, USF - Piet Lens, UNESCO-IHE • Ivy Drexler, USF - Harry Futselaar, Pentair • Onur Ozcan, USF - Jeremy Guest, UIUC • Jim Mihelcic, USF

3. FOX 13 video • http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/18612577/could-a-new-energy-source-start-right-here

4. “Waste” Water From 7 billion people, that is a lot of potential pollution, a lot of COD, and a lot of potential methane emission as well as energy recovery opportunities For typical household wastewater (USA) SS ~ 232 mg/L BOD5 ~ 420 mg/L COD ~ 849 mg/L TOC ~ 184 mg/L Nitrogen ~ 57 mg TKN/L Phosphorous ~ 10 mg P/L Soluble and particulate org. matter( WERF onsite WW report)

5. The importance of technology for clean water UN World Water Development Report 2

6. Conventional WWT in US

7. Trace chemicals, VOCs CO2 H2S CH4 Clean Water Unrecoverable waste residuals How do we clean our wastewater? • Energy: Pumping Mixing Aeration Disinfection Heat for digester Chem transportation • Chemicals: Flocculation Precipitation Disinfection • Labor: O&M

8. Recovery of water Direct or indirect reuse for agriculture Potable water offset Sewer mining Secondary treatment Soil aquifer treatment (SAT) Tertiary treatment Membrane effluent filtration MBR(+AOP) MBR+RO (+AOP) Need some sort of infrastructure for delivery of recovered water to customers, depending on use

9. Trace chemicals, VOCs CO2 H2S CH4 Clean water Bioproducts Biosolids, Nutrients, biopolymers Unrecoverable waste residuals How do we clean our wastewater? • Energy: Pumping Mixing Aeration Disinfection Heat for digester Chem transportation • Chemicals: Flocculation Precipitation Disinfection • Labor: O&M Energy? A more sustainable approach

10. Recovery of nutrients • Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium • Struvite and other precipitates • Biosolids • Bio-P phosphorus recovery • Crop growth / Algae • Liquid fertilizer

11. CO2 Trace chemicals, VOCs H2S CH4 Clean water • Energy • Chemicals • Labor Energy Bioproducts Biosolids, Nutrients, biopolymers Energy? Unrecoverable waste residuals How do we clean our wastewater? An even more sustainable approach

12. Wastewater as a renewable resource A paradigm shift is underway! http://www.sustainlane.com/reviews/getting-the-most-from-human-waste/ICF8A2T14UAQ9HTV27Q8VLQXRTOI Graphics: Jeremy Guest

13. Waste organic = matter Reservoirs of energy Energy potential in wastewater View chemical oxygen demand (COD) as energy potential, rather than pollution The choices lie in how we recover this potential energy Further, how sustainable are the choices?

14. Can WWT be energy neutral? • Can WWTP be energy neutral, or even energy surplus to export energy to the grid? 0.3 kWh/m3 consumed for WWT (Nouri et al 2007) Excess energy for export??? 0.44 kWh/m3 potential from waste organic matter (assume harvesting 25% of max potential at 1.74 kWh/m3) Example, small (20,000 p.e.) WWTP in Czech Republic generate AD biogas to heat nearby homes

15. So, how do we extract this energy from wastewater?

16. The Carbon Cycle Aerobic – “with oxygen” Anaerobic – “without oxygen”

17. Energy states of carbonall about biorecycling Reduction (gaining e- ) Anaerobic digestion Photo synthesis CH4 (CH2O)n CO2 Fully oxidized Fully reduced methane Org C (biomass) Carbon dioxide (+4) (-4) Combustion, respiration Oxidation (losing e- )

18. The anaerobic MBR (AnMBR)at Univ. South Florida AD + UF membrane

19. A N, P recovery for reuse (fertigation) 95% N recovered (cumulative) B 93% P recovered (cumulative) Prieto et al, 2012

20. NEWgenerator TM Potential to contribute on: Sanitation Water Energy Food Health Gender Economics Empowerment

21. From Cormier 2010 Synergy of Algae and Wastewater Requires O2 Requires CO2 Requires Nutrients http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/images/wsci_04_img0570.jpg Requires Energy http://saferenvironment.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/alge.jpg

22. Isolated Cultivation of Algal Resources from Sewage (ICARUS)

23. …perhaps in a not-too-distant future? Graphics: Ana Lucia Prieto

24. Thank you for your attention. Questions? Prof. Daniel Yeh dhyeh@usf.edu USF Membrane Biotechnology Lab http://mbr.eng.usf.edu/

27. Electron donors (energy reservoirs) Energy recovery from wastewater • Reduced WW organic matter • CH4 and H2(anaerobic digestion) • Electricity and H2(Microbial fuel cells) • Biosolids for combustion • Also, algae biofuel • Energy: Pumping Mixing Aeration Disinfection Heat for digester Chem transp. Figure from: Howard F. Curren WWTP post-aeration basin (www.tampagov.net/dept_wastewater/information_resources/Advanced_Wastewater_Treatment_Plant)